Other Thoughts about Parachutes

Jill Floyd
We're thinking of buying a parachute for movement. Has another church done this? Any great ideas we can share?

Leslee Kirkconnell

Where to buy / other uses
Parachutes are great for movement, recreation and more (try hanging one from the ceiling for decoration/lighting effect). They aren't cheap, but they are quite durable so they will last you a long time. Most of the sports equipment companies sell different sizes - some with handles, some without. Try Wolverine Sports or Bill Fritz (both online) U.S. Games is another company.

There are also good activity books for parachutes and some recreation books also include sections on using parachutes. We use ours (a 'real' parachute - quite huge) for playtime during LOGOS. The kids love bouncing balls, doing waves, running underneath and being lifted on it.

For books try:

Parachute Play: Indoor/Outdoor fun by Liz and Dick Wilmes, Building Blocks Publications. Although primarily aimed at young children, most of the activities are easily adaptable.

The Playbook by Roger Maness, Kenny Shackelford and Don Washburn has a good section about parachutes.

Much of this is recreation oriented, rather than rotation. It might not lend itself in rotation, but then it might be a lot of fun, depending upon the story and how it's presented and planned. The kids do tend to get pretty wound up when using, so planning and control would be the key to keep it 'in bounds.'

Just some thoughts, good luck!

Jan FPC Napa
Decorate a Parachute / Where to buy
We have a 6 ft. parachute that we purchased from S&S Worldwide. It's plain white and you decorate it yourself with permanent markers. It was only $19.99 plus shipping. We bought it one year for VBS and had all the kids sign their name and write/draw something. Here's the link:
https://www.ssww.com/item/6-color-me-parachute-W8253/

2024 update: check amazon and other online vendors; you can purchase smaller (8'-12') parachutes that should fit in your classroom for under $30.